Method of and knife for cutting pork



(Nb Mom.) 2 sheets-sheen 1.

P. W. WILDER. i METHOD 0F AND KNIFBFOR CUTTING PORK.

No. 431,097. Patented July l, 1890.

(No Model.) 42 Sheets-Sheet 2.

RW. WILDER; METHOD 0T AND KNIFE TOR CUTTING PORK.

No. @$31,097.4 Patented July l, 1890.

UNITEDv STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRED W. IVILDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF AND KNIFE FOR CUTTING PORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,097', dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed May 9, 1890. Serial No. 351,200. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, FRED W. VILDER, residing at Chicago, in th'e county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and nseful Improvement in Method of and Knife for Cutting Pork, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view showing a side of pork scored and a knife in position to commence cutting. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a side of pork and a knife in operation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the knife, a side of pork, and aloin separated therefrom; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a modification hereinafter eX- plained.

It has been the common practice in packing-houses to first divide a carcass of pork in halves by splitting down the center of the back. These halves are then placed upon a bench or table and the hams and shoulders are chopped oif by a Cleaver, leaving what is known in the pork trade as sides. These sides are then scored-that is, the ribs are sawed in two crosswise about midway of their length by a saw adapted for that purpose. rlhe next step depends upon what cuts it is desired to make. In some cases the side is cut in two lengthwise at the line of the score by means of an ordinary knife. In this case the thick piece, being the back and loin, is cut into two pieces called the back and loin, the cutting heretofore having been done by an ordinary knife. The thin piece, containing the ends of the ribs, is also cut into two pieces, known in the trade as ribs and belly. At other times the score is cut only to the depth or thickness of the ribs and the loin is cut outwith an ordinary knife immediately after the scoring, leaving a piece which, after the ribs have been removed, is

Aknown in the trade as an eXtra short clear.

In these cases it has been the practice to remove the loin from the back by means of an ordinary knife, the operator making a long cut at the line indicated at ay in Fig. l and then making anumberof short strokes, thereby removing the loin from the back. This method of separating the loins from the backs and from the sides is necessarily very slow and expensive. It is also very objectionable, because each stroke of the knife scores or gashes the back and loin,which leaves the back and loin in poor condition for the market. It also in many cases leaves the back in such condition that it cannot be marketed, but must be rendered for lard.

The objects of my invention are to provide an improved method of cutting pork whereby the loin will be readily and quickly separated from the back, and whereby the loin and back will be left in good marketable condition, and also to provide an improved knife for carrying out my improved method. I accomplish these objects as illustrated in the drawings vand as hereinafter described.

That which I claim as new will be pointed ont in the claims.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a side of pork which has been scored on theline b by means of a saw or other proper tool and the knife A in proper position to begin cutting. The knife A consists of a curved portion B and a straight portion C. The curved portion B is curved to correspond with the form of the loin of a side of pork, and the straight portion C is adapted to pass through the score in the ribs.

The operator should commence to cnt with the knife A at the forward end of the side of pork with the straight portion C of the knife in the score h. He then draws the knife A toward the rear, separating the loin D from the back E of the side, as shown in Fig. 2. When the knife has been drawn through to the end of the side, the loin will be thereby separated from the back by a single continuous stroke of the knife A, leaving both the loin and the back Without any scoring or gash. By this method and by the use of the knife A the work can be much more rapidly done than by the methods heretofore employed, as it requires but one stroke of the knife A, while several strokes of the knife heretofore used have been required. The loins and the backs are left in better condition for the market as fresh meat and the back in better condition for packing,because the meat is not scored by the knife. The backs are left in Vbetter condition because IOO they are of uniform size, and Where a standu ard size is required a greater percentage of sides will yield cuts of standard size of backs and eXtra short clears.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a back and loin from which the ribs and belly have been separated at the time of scoring the side. The form of the knife A in' suoli case may be Varied somewhat from that shown in former Iigures.

The knives A are made in pairs, rights and lefts, and in use one workman can use one knife for the right side of the carcass and another Workman thc other knife for the left side of the carcass. The forms of the knives must be somewhat Varied, according to the size of the sides of pork being` out.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The method of separating the loin from the back of pork, consisting of first scoring or cutting the ribs midway of their length and then separating the loin from the back by a single continuous stroke of a knife, substantially as specified.

2. A knife for separating the loin from the back of pork, comprising a portion curved in the form of the loin, and a straight portion adapted to pass down a score, substantially as specified.

FRED WV. VILDER.

TWitnesses:

H. C. GARDNER, J. S. MARKHAM. 

